


As One Does

by FrozenHearts



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Alcohol, Bars and Pubs, Bigotry & Prejudice, Drunkenness, Elf Culture & Customs, Elves, F/M, Friendship, Gen, I'm Bad At Titles, Insults, Mentioned Ciri, Mentioned Yennefer, My First Work in This Fandom, Protectiveness, Random OC's who are not very important, Self-Defense, Walk Into A Bar, only slightly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 03:11:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11477406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: Avallac'h and Dandelion overhear- and not for the first time- some rather unpleasant things about Geralt at the bar.





	As One Does

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know much about Avallac'h, since I'm not that far into the game, so I did the best I could with his character
> 
> I plan on reading the books soon though, because the Netflix series is going to be based of those rather than the game, but I hear the game follows the books extremely closely anyway so we'll see I suppose

This was not the first time Dandelion had heard nasty things muttered about witchers. With their white hair and unnerving gold eyes, the species as a whole was something of a wonder; human they were, yet they attrivited themselves to the likings of beast. Often, Dandelion found himself wondering how Geralt became caught up in such a way of life- barely any pay with no real place to call home.

What worried him most was whether or not the golden cat's eyes he has come to know are natural. It was a silly thing, but one couldn't help but wonder. Magic obvious had some part to play, but how much Dandelion never knew. Geralt never revealed it, either.

So when Dandelion noticed Avallac'h tense at the boisterous men at the next table over, he figured the elf heard something that was rather taboo. 

"Are you alright, my friend?" Dandelion asked as the elf bit his lip.

Avallac'h shrugged, "Quite. I apologize if I worry you."

Dandelion picked up his mug, taking a sip of his ale. The liquid burned his throat, feeling like sludge as it went down thick. Ale in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere was certainly akin to warm shit left to stew in the chamber pot for quite some time.

"I take it our fellow patrons are bothering you?" Dandelion guessed.

Avallac' stole a glance at them before leaning forward against the table, "Do they often curse Witchers, or is that the ale talking?"

Dandelion narrowed his eyes at the group of men. One of them, a nasty looking brute with a black eyepatch, was yelling for more alcohol. 

"People oft say what they mean most while drunk, it's true," Dandelion sighed. He himself had heard the insults many times; whether they be insulting his music or his tales, with time he learned to brush it off. "They aren't worth the time."

Avallac'h tightened his grip on his own mug, "But Geralt is not here! Someone must come to aid, no?"

Dandelion chuckled. It was true the elf possibly held the power of the gods inside him, so the fight would be over quite quickly. But himself? He had no weapon, save the arm of his lute guitar, and despite Geralt's lessons, he was never adept at fist fighting.

"And let a few drunkards ruin my perfectly handsome face?" Dandelion joked, "I shant. Besides, Geralt knows what people say about him."

Avallac'h raised an eyebrow, frowning, "He is used to this?"

Dandelion nodded, "Very, I'm afraid. In our travels, people either worship him or curse his name. Usually the latter, and the poor bastard just takes it. Drives Lady Yennefer mad, it does."

Avallac'h nodded, "I can see how. Geralt gives his life for these people- and these drunken idiots dare call him such slurs?"

Dandelion heaved a sigh. He was glad the drunken idiots next to them took no notice of Avallac'h, as it was likely to cause an argument. He wasn't sure of how well-received elves were in Venneberg, especially powerful ones. But the elf was fuming- surely he had heard such terms thrown around before?

"Geralt wouldn't want you to get killed over something daft, Avallac'h," Dandelion warned, "What would he tell his dear Cirillia?"

The woman's name melted the anger in Avallac'h's expression. Dandelion knew he had something of a soft spot for her, budding ever since the two ran off from the Wild Hunt. He seemed keen on any informtion regarding her, but something was off about how Avallac'h seemed to zero in on her alone.

Dandelion thought it best to leave that idea alone for another day.

"You're right," Avallac'h ceded, "Ciri would probably bring me back to life just to kick my ass herself."

Dandelion didn't miss the way the elf's knuckles tightened through the night, however. It seemed Geralt would have to tell him himself to leave it be. But the elf was correct; the men were getting evef louder, their words slurring as they dragged on the issue.

Thr bard visibly shook when he heard one of them compare Geralt to a Botchling. Those were unpleasant things. Babies who were unwanted, not even properly buried until they became monsters, twisted mounds of flesh with disfigured faces and a tongue so long it was a wonder they didn't trip on it as they moved.

Geralt told him about a Botchling he saw once. "Unsightly, as they usually are," Geralt had said, "you can't help but feel bad for it knowing all it wanted was a mother's love. Anyone's love, really."

Botchlings were dead, ugly, unwanted things. It was disheartening to know complete strangers thought the same of Geralt.

Dandelion forced himself to focus on something else. The way Avallac'h eyed his ale before taking a sip, the way his pantaloons seemed to ride up his ass as he fidgeted uncomfortablly in his seat, anything but the horrid things spewing out of these people's mouths as they threw a few coin om the table and staggered out the door.

Dandelion was almost as glad as the poor serving girl to see them go.

Neither man mentioned thr drunkards words when Geralt walked through the door, although Dandelion could see Avallac'h desperately wanted to tell the man himself.

Sometimes, things were better left unsaid, anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> If I made any mistakes I'm sorry I wrote this on my phone


End file.
